Derg

Now that our work with facing Africa is done, we are ready for a couple of weeks' holiday. This afternoon, we took a flight from Addis to Ethiopia's second largest city - Mekelle, in the Tigray region. Mekelle was quiet after Addis and the people seemed more aloof (though not unfriendly).
Our hotel was a long way out of town...we went out for an exploratory walk and ended up at the Martyrs' Memorial, which is over 50m high and can be seen from anywhere in the city. To get up to the memorial, we had to show our passports and pay 50 Birr (about £2) each.
The monument commemorates those who died in the struggle against the Communist Derg who ruled Ethiopia in the 1970s and 80s. On either side of it are figures representing flight (most of those who left on foot went to Sudan) and fight (those who stayed to fight and overthrow the regime). It is surprisingly moving , and the museum, although with very little explanation in English, gives a real idea of the struggle which went on.